


I Only Trust You

by Starkidlabs



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Fluff, I love Marcus and need more Of the Marcus and James connection, M/M, Mutual Pining, literally just fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2017-06-14
Packaged: 2018-11-13 20:34:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11192895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starkidlabs/pseuds/Starkidlabs
Summary: Winn Schott is a little weird. Or at least that's how Marcus sees him. In trying to convince Marcus that Winn can be trusted James realises that Winn is more than just his best friend.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> (Meant for scholsen week but I'm so so slow and I had exams)

It was strange that James hadn't met him at their usual place tonight. Normally, every Friday they'd grab a pizza or a burger from the local diner before James went out to kick some ass. Winn had checked his phone and checked it twice, no call, he always called if he was stuck in work. He always called. It was also rare that James was ever late. Winn was always late himself but James, James had always been a good timekeeper. This probably wasn't a good sign. Winn felt a twinge of pain in his stomach and began to breathe a little heavier to draw focus on what could have happened to him. He had to block out those thoughts quickly before he began to panic in the middle of the sidewalk. Refuse that anything bad would befall James Olsen, for his own sake if nothing else. He waited another 30 minutes or so and called Kara again, searching for a ray of hope. But she was still at the DEO and hadn't heard anything from him. And of course he had called James' phone for the hundredth time only for it to go straight to his formal CEO toned voicemail. 

It had started to rain violently, which complimented Winn’s mood, and his thin tattered hoodie wasn't providing much protection. He shivered a little as he wiped away the water that had begun to form a puddle on his brow. If he were to wait much longer his shoddily made clothes were surely going to disintegrate. He began to weave through the busy crowds, head down, hands in pockets as if it meant he was more likely to keep dry. His last resort before he started to sound sirens was to swing by James' flat, it was a long walk away but he didn’t care. Although it didn’t help that he had locked his wallet and somehow his keys in the van, he couldn't even catch a taxi to save his poor immune system from contracting a cold. It was also probably a good thing they hadn't gone out for something to eat because he wouldn't have been able to pay for it anyway.

By the time Winn had reached James apartment the sky had finally cleared and he bared a similar resemblance to a drowned rat. He was out of breath and tired but if James really was in trouble he could persevere through. But of course the elevator was out of order which only caused more strenuous exercise for Winn so by the time he reached James' door he was ready to collapse. Knocking their secret knock that he had insisted on making in the van late one night, remembering the pattern like it was the back of his hand, he bounced anxiously consumed with fear. There was no click of the door handle, no footsteps, nothing. He knocked again. Maybe he was just in the shower. He could really do with that shower right now. Not The same shower James was in of course.... well. Winn’s mind snapped back to the task at hand. Suddenly he heard a large crash come from the inside. Winn sprang into action his heart racing at 100 miles per hour. He fumbled through his back pack looking for the spare emergency key, why did he have so much crap in his bag? Seriously way too many action figures for a grown ass man. Finally he ripped the key from the unwrapped lollipop it was stuck to and forced it into the door. He was scared sure, terrified even but he didn't care because James was in trouble. If there were some thugs in there then he was going oo sure as hell try and scare them off with his fake gun or his nerd talk. However once he'd charged into the apartment Winn could do nothing but stand there with his jaw open. James was stood in the middle of the room in the most awkward of positions he could imagine.... playing twister. Instantly James crashed to the floor with a thump as Marcus shuffled backwards to avoid being hurt. Winn’s heart felt instantly lighter as he tried to suppress his laughter. He would be mad but he had to admit he always worries over nothing and plus the situation was just too good a picture to see anything but the hilarity. 

“Having fun there?" he croaked unable to speak from both laughter and exhaustion.  
"Winn?" James said as he began to rub the arm he landed on. "What are you doing here?" Winn was breathing heavily still, he bit down on his lip and raised an eyebrow. James' head turned quickly to look at the clock. 8:45. Shit. "I didn't realise the time.... Man I'm really sorry I should have called." 

"Nah it's cool I'm used to being stood up." Biting his tongue Winn screwed up his eyes in some form of embarrassment. "That's not what I meant.... I mean its fine you're hanging with Marcus which is so much cooler than hanging with me." His mouth twitched slightly that probably didn't come out as sincere as he wanted it to. He really needed to think twice before he spoke. Maybe he should stop speaking all together. He started to fiddle with his watch anxiously, letting it rub against his wrist and feel the heat build-up. Marcus just stared in a slightly confused manner before going to sit down on the sofa. He looked up at James but tried his hardest to avoid eye contact with Winn. 

"Seriously Winn that was a really Shi...Sucky move on my part." James avoided swearing as if not to be a bad influence on Marcus. 

“It’s fine James honestly. I'll just get out of your way, let you guys continue your game." smiling he pointed to the door before pushing back his wet dripping hair that had been swept across his forehead. It had suddenly become apparent to James that Winn would have been standing in the rain for at least 45 minutes or so. A small puddle had collected next to where he was stood and his shirt had become translucent, clinging to his chest. Chewing his lip slightly James eyes followed up Winn’s body and became lost before they finally reached his tired eyes. Instantly he felt a twinge of guilt. 

"Look at least let me lend you some dry clothes. And buy that dinner we were supposed to have." Winn sighed a little, looked at the door and then back at James. His heart melted and he nodded reluctantly before grinning.

“I mean that does sound better than feeling like I've just come off of Splash Mountain." Winn laughed nervously as he advanced a few steps further into the apartment.

"I'll just be a sec." James disappeared into the room behind him. Winn scratched the back of his head and turned towards Marcus who was playing around with an old camera. He'd never been good around kids no matter what Kara said. In all honesty he kind of got nervous around them. Maybe it was because of that underlying fear he still had from when he was young, seeing another kid meant getting pushed in the mud. But he was an adult now so he shouldn't be worried. Well He was mostly an adult. He eased over to Marcus and slid down on the sofa, the boy went a little rigid but didn't pry his eyes away from the camera and was relaxed again within a few seconds. Meanwhile Winn searched the archives of his mind for a good conversation starter. 

“So nice weather we're having." God damn it. Winn backtracked “I mean not nice... “Marcus’ brow furrowed slightly. He's 10 why are you talking to him like he's a co-worker you don't really like. Then he began to tap out a tune on his legs as if to bring back the right train of thought.

"Have you played any good video games lately?" Winn smiled a little harder and this time Marcus looked up from his camera. He opened his mouth as if he were about to speak but then decided not to and simply shook his head. "Yep me neither. Video game are lame right? I hate video games." Keep laughing nervously Winn as if that’s going to help. In all honesty he understood why Marcus wouldn't talk to him, he had been through an awful lot at such a young age, and he could have trust issues. He sure did when he was a kid. But maybe he'd start trusting him soon if not for him for James. Winn smiled again and pushed off of the sofa to stand up. A dark patch of damp had emanated on the grey material from Winn’s waterlogged trousers. As he walked across the room James entered. 

“I found a hoodie and a pair of old sweatpants, you may have to keep pulling them up but at least you'll be dry." James threw them across the room and Winn caught them just before they hit the coffee table. 

"Thanks dude.” Beaming Winn began to lift his shirt before realising that it would probably be a better idea to get changed in a room without other people in it. As He ran into the bathroom James’ eyes followed him, in all honesty he was a little disappointed. After a few minutes or so Winn returned. The clothes were baggy and the hoddie slipped slightly down one shoulder, the clothing almost swallowed him up. James smiled a little wider and he felt his heart feel warmer, he looked really kind of cute. Winn, on the other hand, was looking at Marcus with a perplexed expression. He still looked a little uncomfortable, Winn really didn't want to ruin his evening with James. He should probably get out of there as soon as possible. 

"Hey James." Winn said wiggling a little to pull up the sweatpants. 

"Hmm." He hummed as if it to keep in his adoration.

“I was thinking that I should go and pick us up some dinner from across the street.”

James stood a little straighter and took an almost defensive tone. “You don't have to do that we could just order some stuff in." 

Winn eyes flickered to Marcus and then back to James his eyes were soft and pleading which kind of confused Winn and made him want to stay more than he did before. But despite everything he decided against it. 

“I just needed some fresh air and err." That made no sense considering he had been stuck in the ‘fresh air’ for over an hour. “I mean I need to make a really really important call to... to.... my friend from college." That also made no sense, he had like 3 friends none of which went to college with him. He paused for a while as he stared at James’ look of concern. Before James could say anything he had walked towards Marcus. 

“You like pizza right." Marcus nodded quickly. "Good good. You don't want pineapple on pizza do you?" Marcus' face turned and looked slightly disgusted. “Yeah me neither. I'm glad I finally found someone with good taste. I've spent so many years having to watch Kara eat slice after slice. It's not good for my heart you know." He chuckled a little, Marcus just stared back with a hidden smile. 

"At least let me pay for it." James interjected. He looked as confused as Winn felt. 

“Actually that would be a very good idea." Winn clenched his jaw. “I left my wallet. Umm I left it somewhere...." he trailed off a furrowed his brow slightly not wanting to explain the whole weird situation that ended with his possessions getting locked in his van. Pulling out his wallet James began to flick through some notes. He leant over and handed Winn around $40 dollars’ worth of bills.

“That should be enough right?"  
Winn flicked through them quickly. 

"Yes sir Mr CEO Sir, it feels like I’m getting my wages early." Winn chuckled and raised an eyebrow playfully. He stuffed the wad of cash in the deep pocket of his newly borrowed sweatpants and swiped his phone from the counter where he had placed it to dry off. Smirking at James he began to back out towards the door, James itched to grab his arm to tell him to stay but instead he remained frozen. His eyes lingered for a second on Winn before the door slammed and brought James back to present day. 

He turned to Marcus who was using his powers to float a glass of apple juice his way. It still amused James how, even at such a young age, he used his powers to complete mundane tasks. It appeared that their game of twister had been abandoned and that Marcus would prefer to play a game which didn't involve a lot exercise. In all honesty James was glad he was sure he sprained his ankle when he slammed on the hard wooden floor. Trust him to go out crime fighting every night and be knocked out of action by a kid’s game. 

James picked up a game from the pile next to him, operation. Once he slid it onto the table Marcus looked up from the camera and turned his attention towards James smiling. They both started to place the plastic pieces in the allocated slots ready to play. 

 

 

It been around 20 minutes and four rounds in total since they started playing. James had already banned Marcus from moving the pieces with his mind because he was way too good without them anyway. It was almost a weird notion to James that Marcus had never played any of these games before, considering how they were thought of as classics by everyone else. So much so that they’d only ever bothered to play any of the games once on their weekly game night. Of course they had decided on twister which only caused Winn to complain all night over how he wasn’t ‘athletic’ enough or ‘tall’ enough to be any good. Despite that he won almost every game that was blamed on Kara’s ticklish nature. But James had really enjoyed playing them from Marcus’ perspective and he knew that Marcus was enjoying it too.

Marcus had become considerably more talkative since his mother had begun arranging for James to look after him for a day every once in a while. She said that it could be good for Marcus to learn some life lessons from him, she saw James as kind and respectable. Which was true because James had helped him to build up his confidence, taught him about photography and played a whole lot of board games with him since. Marcus appreciated it and would always seem to be over enthusiastic whenever they went out to take photos at the local park, he had definitely seemed to have opened up a lot since the day they met. But right now he was a little detached.

“Is everything ok buddy?” James asked as he tried to unsuccessfully remove a piece from the board, god he hated that buzzing noise .Marcus looked up at him and chewed his gum slightly. Although he gave a bright smile he looked back down at the game quickly. James furrowed his brow as he tried to read Marcus, how he wished he had that kids powers. “Because you’re kind of giving me the silent treatment right now.” 

Marcus sighed slightly as he placed the game tweezers on the coffee table. His face was flushed he seemed embarrassed. “I don’t know it’s just it’s our game day and…I know Winn’s your friend but he’s kind of strange…” He smiled to ensure James that it wasn’t a big problem rather something he should just ignore.

“And that’s what you’ve been worrying about?” Marcus simply nodded in response. James chuckled under his breath. “Look believe me I know Winn’s weird you don’t have to keep that a secret from me or feel bad about it. It’s not that much of an insult and it doesn’t matter if you don’t instantly click.” 

But Marcus still looked a little conflicted. James had noticed that Marcus closed himself off around other people, only spoke when absolutely necessary and Winn’s presence appeared to bare no exception. Maybe it was Winn’s unconfident nature that really pushed him away, he was unable to latch on for support. Or maybe something deeper that Marcus’ abilities allowed him to see. 

James sighed slightly “Or is it something else too?”

“It’s just like I said he’s kind of strange and it’s hard to read him like I can with you. So I don't know if I can trust him…” He had picked up the camera again from the other end of the table and was now trying to focus it in order to partially draw himself away from the conversation, he seemed uncomfortable. Sighing James searched for words to say, he knew that Marcus didn’t like speaking to most people whether it was due to something off world, the challenges he’s been through or another factor which he didn’t know about. Maybe Winn saw that in him, maybe that’s why he was so adamant in leaving. But James was desperate for Marcus to feel even a little comfortable around Winn. He loved Marcus with all his heart, he wanted to prioritise his happiness above everything else but he also loved Winn too…in a different way. And he wouldn’t be able to bear the thought that Marcus felt tense around Winn and made him uncomfortable whenever he was there.

The bond that he had shared with Marcus on the day the daxamites had invaded had proven to be one of the most significant in his life, he had restored his lost confidence and he had proved to him that he was still a hero and always would be as long as this one little boy believed in him. He had felt that for the first time since he became guardian that he had made a real impact on someone’s life, that he didn’t just save the day but provided hope too. He wanted to make sure he’d always be there for Marcus like he had promised him because he owed him so much. Yet Winn had impacted his life greatly too, in ways he’d never have imagined when he met that pretty stubborn guy on his first day at Catco. Over the past year Winn had done almost nothing but support his endeavours, yes they had relapses once or twice but they always came back stronger. And it wasn’t even the suit or the tech that impacted James’ life to such a great extent but just spending time with Winn in general. They had formed such close bond over the past year that James knew almost everything about Winn and Winn knew almost everything about James. Winn knew exactly how to cheer him up when he was having an off day and would always find an excuse to swing by his office and bring his favourite type of coffee, to save him from the copious amounts of paper work. Winn was always there for him, his smile always filled his heart with a sense of warmth and joy which he rarely ever experienced and whenever Winn was happy the world seemed to go a little lighter. Winn was probably the most important person in James’ life right now and he needed to make sure that Marcus the other most important person… alien in his life could feel better around him.

Marcus was still examining the camera as James finally produced an answer. “Marcus you don’t have to feel uncomfortable around Winn because you can’t read his mind like mine or because he’s…strange.”

Marcus scrunched up his nose a little. “Yeah I know but....”

“Let me put it this way.” He looked up to the celling trying to collect the right words. “All the best people are know are a little bit strange. Supergirl for example, she flies around in the middle of the night looking for dogs to pet. And superman I know for a fact that he insists on doing the most embarrassing dance moves known to man .Also you don’t see many CEOs who double up as vigilantes at night either. And then there’s you…”

“Me?” Marcus gasped slightly, but smiled regardless, bemused.

“Yeah you. Do you think it’s a normal to dip your French fires in your milkshake?” Marcus didn’t reply rather just giggled, his face blushing slightly. “What I’m trying to say is everyone’s a little weird in their own way and that you can still trust them despite it.” James looked warmly towards him. Although Marcus was now smiling and appeared more relaxed he still didn’t seem 100% convinced.

“But I still don’t know if I like can trust him, trust him.” He said bluntly.

“Trust him, trust him huh?” James shook his head slightly. “Do you trust me?” Marcus nodded eagerly in response. James was one of the handful of beings he trusted on this or on any earth. “Then trust me when I say you can trust Winn.” 

Marcus didn’t look confused in the slightest he knew that exact response was coming. He was a smart kid. He would have genuinely been content with what James had said so far, maybe Winn’s weirdness was just normal for humans. Even if not there was nothing inheritably bad about, it just made him a little confused at most. But he was still a kid and all kids want to know is

“Why?” James chuckled again at that typical childlike response. But then he felt his stomach churn slightly as he conjured up the perfect response.

He fell in to deep thought, there were so many reasons why he trusted Winn Since he had broken up with Kara Winn had always seen to be there when he was at his loneliest, when he didn’t have a function to attend or a publicist to meet, Winn had always seen to be on call with a cheesy grin on his face and takeaway in his hand. He had supported him throughout his strive to be something greater, to become a hero, he could’ve turned away at any moment and not looked back but instead he had provided both the technical and moral support James really needed. He didn’t even turn his back when a building could’ve crashed down on top of him. James had more than enough reasons to trust Winn with his life but he had to find the right connection to make for a 10 year old boy. For Marcus a connection meant trust.

“Well because I trust Winn like I trust you. You’ve really helped me find my way Marcus and I mean that, you have helped me find confidence in what I’m doing and made me believe I was doing good. And as for Winn I would trust him for the exact same reason. Without Winn there may never have been the Guardian as he is now…I may not have survived this long. The amount of times the suit saved me from bullets... He supports me day in and day out defending me at the DEO, like when you did that class presentation on guardian to give me more ‘fans’. And both you and Winn had face really big challenges at around the same age, probably bigger challenges than most adults could face and yet you both kept going and became strong and smart and kind and that’s more than enough for me to lay my trust in you both. You’re such a brave kid Marcus. ”he grinned at this comment and felt proud as James continued “You mean a lot to me and I would never put you in any danger. But you can trust Winn. Winn is a good guy. I would trust him with life, like I trust ou and you trust me."

"He means a lot to you?" Marcus said in a perplexed tone despite obviously having come to a complete understanding. James sighed for a moment as his thoughts danced through his head. It was a simple answer of course he did. Kara meant a lot to him. So did Alex and J'onn and Clark. Yet this answer came with so much more weight, more depth. Winn wasn't the same as the others, he didn't just mean something to James but meant more than he could have possibly imagined. He made James' heart beat faster and made him smile more than anyone else could. He believed in him and he always stood by his side even when everyone else was doubting his heroics. James wanted nothing more than to know that he'd never lose him. Winn didn't just mean a lot to James but meant almost everything. James could no longer imagine his life without his bad jokes, nerdy references or piles of takeout trash. He wasn’t just his friend anymore, he wasn’t even his best friend, he was something so much more. 

"Yes, yes he does." James finally muttered. Marcus didn't say anything in return but simply nodded. James knew that Marcus could read him like a book, he knew that he probably knew exactly what he was thinking but he still felt like he had to reassure Marcus further. Emphasis the fact that Marcus still meant the world to him too.  
"Plus you know Winn’s a big pushover right." Marcus stared up slightly puzzled. "I mean you know how I wouldn't buy you that candy from the store earlier ? Well Winn would probably buy you that candy plus candy for himself plus candy for breakfast the next day." Marcus grinned as if he were already picturing the stack of sugar. But James sighed again, maybe he was putting too much pressure on the kid. Despite his maturity he was still so young. "Marcus if you still don't trust Winn it's ok I won't force you to talk to him. You're a really cool kid Marcus remember that and if you do feel a little braver it'll brighten Winns day for you to just say hey."

"It's ok. I guess I could be his friend.” Marcus didn’t sound uncertain but a whole lot happier, he had seen how much it would mean to James, if he at least tried. Winn wasn't so strange anyway. 

James looked at him with a genuine smile and a thoughtful demeanour they peered back down to the game that they had abandoned and began to play. Both content with how the conversation had concluded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a really hard time portraying Marcus mainly because I never have contact with children and I don't know what a child is. Plus he only got like 10 minutes of screen time over all. But I hope I portrayed him ok...
> 
> Also sorry for pushing all my anxiety into Winn but i love portraying myself onto characters I write so sorry.
> 
> Please leave a comment and make my week.


	2. Chapter 2

Before James even had time to remove the funny bone he heard a click at the door, banging, then muffled swearing. 

"Hey can I get a little help here." A voice echoed through the wood. However James didn't even get a chance to think of a response before the door burst open and a Winn fell straight through, tripping on his own feet and landing flat on his stomach. Yet somehow he managed to prioritise holding the bags of food above his head as if he was saving his own child. There was a slight frown from James as he could feel Winn’s pain emanate through him, the crash did seem pretty severe. Carefully James removed the paper bags from Winn’s hands and passed them to Marcus, who seemed more interested in the fact that the food wasn't very pizza looking. James then bent down tempted to check for a pulse because Winn had not moved a muscle since gliding ‘gracefully’ into the apartment. Slowly he turned Winn over onto his back bracing for the worst, maybe a broken tooth or at least a hurt expression. Yet somehow he managed to reveal the goofiest grin shining through the very prominent pain. 

"You should really get a better door or something." Winn laughed stifling his groans. James in turn threw his head back slightly chuckling in disbelief, then peered back down and allowed himself to get lost in Winn’s eyes for a moment. In the light dancing through them and the small crinkles at the corners that always appeared whenever he smiled at him. Suddenly he noticed Winn’s eyebrows furrowing as if he realised he was no longer staring at him just to check his health. Quickly, James threw out his hands to help him back on his feet despite the Ahs and Ows nothing was broken and Winn seemed to be basically fine. If anything he was just being over dramatic. 

After a short pause, Winn peered over at Marcus who was pulling out fries from the bag with a confused expression. “Oh about that I forgot how far the pizza place was and I think I've walked far enough for like a year so I got some big belly burger instead." He swallowed slightly hoping that Marcus wasn't allergic to fries somehow. The fact that he'd already pocked a few into his mouth clearly confirmed he wasn't. 

Winn shuffled over to the coffee table to hand out the food, cautiously making sure that his borrowed sweat pants didn't fall down. Although, he had to admit that James sure did know how to buy warm and comfortable clothing even if they did swallow him slightly. He slid down next to Marcus who just continued eating not apprehensive in the slightest. Winn smiled a little before hiding it by looking down. He then grabbed a vanilla and chocolate milkshake from the bag beside him as James pulled up foot stall around the other side of the table. Pushing the chocolate towards Marcus Winn quickly removed the plastic lid from his own milkshake. He knew Marcus loved milkshakes that's what James always bribed him with. Without thinking Winn began to dip a fry in the cup. 

Suddenly Marcus shot round as a big toothy grin appeared on his face. "See I told you it wasn't weird. Winn does it too." He said whilst pointing an excited finger at Winn. Winn was taken aback, he blinked rapidly and opened his mouth as if to speak before deciding to close it. He'd only really ever heard Marcus talk when they'd found his mother but now He was jumping up and down with his eyes wide. All the tension that seemed to be weighing on his shoulders from earlier had suddenly washed away. Winn had no idea what James had said to him when he was away but he was sure happy about it. 

“Do what?" Winn said nervously his mouth curving into a smile 

"Dip your fries in your milkshake." Marcus said more enthusiastically than the first time.

"Pfft yeah all the cool kids do it." He threw up his hand nonchalantly and raised an eyebrow towards James smugly. 

"No all the cool kids definitely do not do that." James interrupted shaking his head. "No one should do that." He held a tight frown before the corners of his mouth broke free, turned up and let out a large burst of laughter. Shaking his head slightly in wonder Winn sighed as he contained himself so James laugh was more prominent, God how he loved James laugh. And His smile seemed to light up the room and make everything seem so much brighter. 

Everything about James made Winn’s life so much brighter he could feel the butterflies rise in his stomach as if they were ready to explode. Winn licked his lip quickly and then pushed his tongue against his teeth, before dropping his gaze down to his hands. God damn it Winn. Why do you have to fall in love with every best friend you have? 

"Hey." Winn’s attention was snapped away from his own misery and his eyes flickered up and then back down to see Marcus looking at him giddily. “Do you want to play operation?" 

Trying not to let joy overcome him Winn simply nodded and earnestly whispered "Of course." Before settling down next to Marcus who was already resetting the board. 

 

 

The sun had settled beyond on the horizon and caused a cloak of darkness to cover the city. A storm had begun to rage in the distance the claps of thunder becoming louder as if they were knocking at James' window, wanting to break through the warmth that filled his entire apartment. Rain fell chaotically as gusts of wind carried it throughout the darkly lit sky the droplets causing a rhythmic pitter patter on the roof. Winn loved storms, well when he was inside at least. It was as if they washed away all his thoughts and all his fears reminding him he was safe in the warmth of his own home, not in danger, just alone how he often preferred it. Except right now he wasn't at home or alone he was in James' apartment and yet he had never felt so secure.

Marcus had since been chauffeured off to the bed in James' spare room despite his protests. He had warmed up to Winn more and more as the evening drew on, his connection with him was nowhere near as prominent as Marcus had with James but Winn was happy that there was no longer as much of a barrier between them. He was happy that he could form some type of link even if it was just between milkshake and fries. Marcus was a good and clever kid. And he was happy that he trusted him more even just for James sake, he knew how much Marcus looked up to him and he didn't want his work with Guardian to come between that bond they had. Marcus needed more rolemodels in his life and James was probably the best one Winn could think of. 

Winn had procured himself in the corner of James couch, letting himself sink deep into the cushion as the oversized hoodie still enveloped him, protecting his warmth. A woollen blanket had since been wrapped around him as if it were protection from the cold he could already feel infecting his nostrils. That's what happens when you stand in the freezing rain for over an hour. James had since brought him over a cup of warm hot chocolate, it was his favourite brand too. He clasped it in both hands letting the heat seep into his skin as he watched James weave around the table and throw himself down next to him. His arm lightly brushed against his, Winn subconsciously sighed as he chewed on his lip eyes still fixed on James. He lingered slightly before turn his attention towards the screen. It was James' favourite movie, he must have seen it at least 30 times by now. Well within the past year or so because before he met James he had no real interest in seeing it. But now he knew nearly every line off by heart and it had somehow become his favourite movie too, not because he loved the plot or the characters but because he loved James watching it. The way he would smile at the opening credits almost bouncing in anticipation for it to start, he loved how content it made him.

James’ happiness almost always moved parallel to his because to see the man who he knew often carried the weight of world on his shoulders laugh or smile instantly brought a sense of comfort to Winn. Nobody ever really saw how much James had struggled finding himself as Guardian, how much it truly meant to him to be out on the streets helping people, how much it initially crushed him that he got nowhere near as much support from the public or even his friends as he had hoped or deserved. James was convicted, that was for sure, he was never going to give up helping people no matter what but Winn knew that sometimes the culmination of all his past and present pain could really be a heavy weight to bare. This was the type of pain he tried to hide from Marcus, and from everyone else, because he felt he was meant to be the guiding voice or the act of kindness on a bad day. Fortunately, for James, his façade wasn’t made of lead and Winn could see through it most of the time. The days when he would come back to the van without a wide grin, almost discontent, were the easiest to see through. And Winn tried to provide the support he needed, of course he did. James thought of him as his best friend and if a best friend doesn’t provide high fives, moral support and compliments what are they good for? But the fact was that most of the time Winn knew it didn’t work and that killed him. 

James was one of the best people Winn had ever met, in every way possible. He was smart, funny, badass and hot as hell (Winn got completely chocked when he walked into James working out that one time). But most importantly he had a good heart, he helped people no matter the cost, he was kind and compassionate, he had made Winn believe he could do things he never thought he was capable of and he had provided comfort when he felt most alone. Without James convincing he could be something greater there was no way he would of had the nerve to go to that alien planet or stay in that collapsing building. He’d never really believed in himself, he always second guessed himself, he was never good enough but James had truly made him believe that he wasn’t just the guy in the background or even the red shirt. That in a way anyone, even him, could be a hero. James had helped him in so many ways that he’d never know. And the fact was that Winn was the happiest he had been since his life fell apart when he was 10 and James Olsen was one of the biggest reasons for that.

“You ok?” At the sound of James’ smooth hum Winn remerged from his daydream. Jumping slightly at the interruption, he shuffled in his seat and murmured something that he soon realised was incomprehensible. “You’ve been staring at me for a while now.”

Winn coughed a little, well more like spluttered hot chocolate everywhere. It was rare that Winn ever kept his cool when he realised he'd done something embarrassing and this was not one of the occasions. 

"Oh yeah… fine... fantastic.” He sounded sarcastic again. He needed to work on that. “Well I think I’m getting a cold, may have gone into a bit of a daze for second or two.” He sipped the hot chocolate to distract himself. “Jeez that’s hot.” He said whilst trying to stifle the pain. He'd drunk it way too soon and it burnt his tongue, forcing him to rub it against the roof of his mouth to try and regain proper feeling.

“It’s called hot chocolate for a reason you know?” James smirked trying to get under Winn's skin slightly.

“Ha-ha Mr Comedian.” They both broke into laughter which ended abruptly after locking eyes for a moment. The movie played in the background trying to gain their attention but failing and becoming nothing more than white noise. An almost silence hung in the air as the pause grew bigger and bigger. Both refused to turn back to the screen rather preferring to maintain eye contact in a slight confusion and intrigue. Winn was now gripping the blanket tightly in his palm, not wanting to let go as if it provided a life line. The tension built up but neither wanted to do anything, make a move just encase their instincts were incorrect. Winn clenched his jaw just as James coughed as if to bring a sense of normality to the situation.

Shuffling about on his seat slightly James finally spoke. “You know Marcus thinks you’re strange?”

“What?” Winn said in a higher pitch than he expected.

“It's what he said whilst you were out. Maybe I should have kept that a secret” James mustered a smile but regretted saying anything to begin with. 

There was another beat of silence, they both peered in opposite directions. Winn twisted his watch around his arm anxiously as he watched the seconds tick, tick by. He needed to keep it together, he felt something there, something in James that he was only just noticing now. Maybe he'd kept it well hidden up until now, maybe he wasn’t able to see through James at all. Or maybe he was just reading things wrong, he'd done that so many times before too. He had to keep it together, keep a sense of normality. There was nothing there. Just his imagination.

“Its fine.” he muttered before smiling “Not the worst insult I've ever gotten. Probably one of the best actually.” Sticking out his tongue a little he grinned recalling a memory. “Besides that time Miss Grant called me a hobbit or course. I mean I'm not a fan of hairy feet but Elijah Wood is actually pretty hot you know?” suddenly he turned red and clenched his teeth realising James’ was smiling weakly and that his mood hadn’t been driven to what it normally was. Was he the only one who thought Elijah wood was hot? They decided to turn their attention back towards the movie not wanting to let something slip that would cause a division between them. 

It seemed like the movie dragged on and on, not proceeding at the same fast pace it normally did. By the time the end credits had rolled Winn had drunk a considerable mixture of cheap beer and hot chocolate but was still sober enough to have his thoughts straight. James on the other hand hadn’t touched a drop it seemed something was chewing at him Winn couldn’t figure out what exactly but he knew it couldn't be what he was hoping. James raised his arms above his head stretching whilst Winn stayed in his comfy cushion spot. After a few minutes James finally gained courage to speak again.

“You know you were really good with Marcus today, I know he's not very talkative.” James said in a warm tone, his eyes fixated on Winn. Winn stared back James’ eyes reminded him of coffee filtered with sunlight, they were calming and exciting all at once, he allowed himself to linger before quickly looking back to his hands and muttering.

"It was no biggie." He stayed quite for a moment letting a form of loss fill him. “I mean I get it. I was probably the worst kid to talk to at his age. I refused to speak to anyone for the first few months I was in care. It wasn't until I was at Mrs Whitefield’s where if I didn't say please and thank you I'd ...." he stopped abruptly he didn't want to talk about that instead he forced a laugh. "What I mean is that Marcus is a real good kid. Probably the best kid I know. Well he's one of the only kids I know but still it counts for something." James' tilted his head and gave one of his small genuine smiles. "I'm really glad he opened up and I got to know him a little more." 

"Me too."

Winn sat and pondered for a second "What did you say to him when I was gone." 

"Huh?"

"I mean he mentioned me, said I was strange. What did you say to convince him I wasn't that strange?" 

"I didn't..." James began but didn't have a chance to finish.

"Come on James you know I'm not just a pretty face." He laughed half-heartedly. “I can always tell when you're lying, you're absolutely terrible at it." There was an accidental emphasis on the 'always' as if he was suggesting he knew James better than anyone else. At this point after how much time they spend together that fact could be true.

James looked reluctantly towards Winn, and swallowed, his mouth becoming drier every second. He felt the nerves boil in the pit of his stomach. Why was he so nervous?

"Well I just told him the truth about you. About how you make me feel better when I'm down, about how you're always there for me even when a building is literally crashing down on top of us… I told him about how much I care about you."  
James' eyes quickly shot down so he was looking at his superman mug Clark had bought him for Christmas, he slid his finger over the rim as if to cause a distraction. But Winn just looked wide eyed as he felt a conflict of emotions brew inside him. 

"Th-Thank you" he stuttered.  
"that’s probably the nicest thing anyone has ever said about me." But it wasn't just that that had made Winn stutter but the way James had said that last sentence. It really didn't feel like casual appreciation. It felt like he was scared to say it because it came from the heart. That maybe.... no. It can't be, James definitely didn't feel the same way as he did. Why would he? He's dated both supers why would he fall for someone like him.

“I really care about you too." Winn bit his lip as he felt the happiness rise. But then his anxiety got the better of him. James definitely wouldn't fall for someone like him. "You’re my best friend." God damn it Winn, why can you never follow through.

"Yeah best friend." James looked back towards Winn and gave a broken smile, that sentence wasn't sincere in the slightest. He fiddled with his fingers in a form of false anticipation as if something had gone wrong with the conversation. Maybe it wasn't in his head. Maybe he did feel the same way. He had to test the waters and for once not let his anxiety get the better of him. 

“It’s not just that James... you've really helped me these past few months. You've helped me become braver and become more confident in myself and made me believe that I'm something more than the disposable IT guy. I don't think I've actually been this content with my life like ever..." 

There was another pause as Winn watched James' mouth curve into a smile, his shoulders relaxed slightly and it seemed like had moved slightly closer. This was what he wanted. This was what they both wanted. He thought for a second or two before a goofy grin appeared on his face and he finally whispered “When I say I really Care about you I mean I really _**Really**_ care about you." 

Before he could change his mind, before his protective shield went up, before he lost all courage Winn moved his hand towards James' leg and placed it there for a second, his eyes sparkling as they glanced up, Suddenly deciding it was a bad idea he tried to remove it. But instead James grasped his fingers softly as if to reassure him it was ok. Winn relaxed slightly and gently lowered it back down allowing James' thumb to move in a circular motion over it. He felt the same way, he had to right, he just had to. 

“So when you say you really _really_ care about me do you mean as 'I'm your best bro forever' kind of really _really_.." James trailed off as his gaze became cemented on Winn. Chewing on his lip Winn tried to produce a good enough response within a short among of time, he could feel himself go weak as James inched ever so slightly closer. He began to breathe heavily and his heart appeared to beat in time with the rapid rainfall bouncing off the window.

“No I mean The ‘I want to be _so_ much more than your partner in crime fighting' kind of really _really_." They inched closer still. "The 'I want to be _so_ much more than best friends' really _really_ "

"Is it strange that I was hoping you'd say that?" James peered down at Winn and grinned from ear to ear. Ever so carefully Winn raised his hand up so it curved around James' cheek. For a moment he just stared hoping beyond all hope that this wasn't a dream. The rest of the world grew silent.

Winn’s eyes flickered to James lips as he finally whispered "It's not strange at all." 

He craned his neck and drew just close enough so that James could brush his lips against his own. They sat there allowing their emotions to take control and for the kiss to last for what seemed like forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!!! I thought Scholsen deserved more fics.  
> Also please comment and make my life


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